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SEC Basketball: Jared Harper, Bryce Brown headline All-NCAA Tournament Team

By Curtis Wilkerson

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 23: Bryce Brown #2 of the Auburn Tigers reacts to a play against the Kansas Jayhawks during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 23: Bryce Brown #2 of the Auburn Tigers reacts to a play against the Kansas Jayhawks during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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KNOXVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 29: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrate on the bench during the second half of the game between the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 29, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 96-53. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 29: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrate on the bench during the second half of the game between the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 29, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 96-53. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /

The SEC was well represented in the NCAA Tournament, with 4 teams reaching the Sweet 16 and Auburn advancing to the Final Four. Check out the conference’s All-NCAA Tournament Team as well as a few that just missed the cut.

The SEC was well represented during March Madness, sending seven teams to the big dance.  This was one bid shy of the Big Ten and tied for the second most with the ACC. Not only did half the league receive an NCAA Tournament bid, several of them fared quite well.  Four teams made the Sweet 16, two advanced to the Elite 8, and Auburn was the last SEC squad standing with their historic run ending in the last second, literally, in the Final Four against eventual national champion Virginia.

Both Ole Miss and Mississippi State fell in the opening round.  Ole Miss, who exceeded everyone’s expectations under first year head coach Kermit Davis, was steamrolled 95-72 by Oklahoma but should be thrilled with where the program stands.  Mississippi State had their sights on a run to the second weekend but fell victim to the classic 12 over 5 upset with an 80-76 loss to Liberty.

Florida, who had been up and down all season, notched an impressive 70-61 round of 64 win over a very good Nevada squad.  Unfortunately for Gator fans, Florida ran into a stingy Michigan defense in the round of 32.  The Wolverines held Florida to their lowest scoring output of the year and cruised to a 64-49 win.

After capturing an SEC regular season crown, an uber-talented LSU had vision of a deep run on their mind.  Unfortunately for them, the Tigers were also dealing with the controversy surrounding suspended head coach Will Wade.  Despite that, LSU squeaked out a closer than expected 79-74 win over 14 seed Yale and followed that up with a thrilling 69-67 win over Maryland thanks to last second heroics by dynamic point guard Tremont Waters.  LSU advanced to their first Sweet 16 since 2006, but despite a 23 point outburst by Waters the Tigers fell to Michigan State 80-63.

Tennessee was a deep, talented, veteran group that many picked to be a Final Four contender all season.  After a round of 64 win over a pesky Colgate, Tennessee found themselves in a dogfight with 10 seed Iowa.  After leading by as many as 25 points, the Vols saw that lead quickly evaporate with the Hawkeyes actually forcing overtime before Tennessee escaped with an 83-77 win.  In the Sweet 16, the Vols finally met their match in Purdue.  Behind huge performances from Carson Edwards and Tyler Cline, Purdue knocked off Tennessee in overtime 99-94.

Auburn and Kentucky were the last two standing for the SEC.  The Wildcats were without star forward PJ Washington for the first weekend but were able to notch a convincing win over Abilene Christian and a tight victory over Wofford.  Washington returned in the Sweet 16 and was crucial to Kentucky’s 62-58 win over Houston.

That win set up an Elite 8 match-up with Auburn who made one of the most historic runs in program history.  After narrowly escaping New Mexico State’s round of 64 upset bid, the Tigers went though an impressive gauntlet of victories that included blowout wins over bluebloods Kansas and North Carolina.  Despite losing emerging star Chuma Okeke against North Carolina, Auburn was able to lean on their back-court tandem of Jared Harper and Bryce Brown to knock off Kentucky 77-71 in overtime and advance to their first Final Four in program history.  Unfortunately, they fell to Virginia thanks to a trio of free throws from Virginia’s Kyle Guy following a controversial foul call with 0.6 seconds left in regulation.

There was no shortage of big-time performances from the very best of the SEC throughout the NCAA Tournament.  Who were the best of the best, and who just missed the cut?

Honorable mentions

Tremont Waters – LSU

NCAA Tournament Stats: 16.7 PPG, 4.7 APG, 23 points vs Michigan State

Keldon Johnson – Kentucky

NCAA Tournament Stats: 13.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, double-double vs Auburn

Lamonte Turner – Tennessee

NCAA Tournament Stats: 14.3 PPG, 4.0 APG, 3.3 RPG

Chuma Okeke – Auburn

NCAA Tournament Stats: 15 PPG, 7.0 RPG, double-double vs North Carolina

Naz Reid – LSU

NCAA Tournament Stats: 12.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, double-double vs Yale

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